#054 - I Miss The Sex — A personal story by Marc Müskens

We were almost finished with the last co-design session.
The design felt right, the ideas were flowing, and the clients were excited.
Then the gentleman across the table said, “I miss the sex.”
And suddenly, everything took on a new meaning.

The room fell silent. I didn’t know what to say.
But when we slowed down, asked deeper questions, and truly listened, something unexpected revealed itself.

It wasn’t about romance.
It was about excitement, passion, and freedom.
About rediscovering the emotional core behind every design decision.

This moment reminded me once again that design is never just about aesthetics. It’s about emotions, memories, and creating spaces that make people feel.

That’s what our philosophy Form Follows Meaning truly means.
And it’s what makes design unforgettable.

If you enjoy more of these personal stories, moments that shaped me as a designer and remind us all why we do what we do, let me know.
Because I’d love to share more of them alongside our interviews and conversations on Beyond Interior Design.

Well, it’s better to listen than to read here… so enjoy!

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Transcript

Marc: [00:00:00] It is day three. We're in the middle of a session with our client. We're almost done, and this is the moment where everything comes together perfectly. You know that amazing feeling right? The interior design for their new apartment, the one they've been looking forward to for so long, they've lived in the same house for years.

The children have built their own family, so why do they still need all those extra rooms? They're moving out of their more than hundred year old mansion. No more hassle with endless maintenance. No crude walls, no more dark corners and dirty etches. Yes, they are definitely excited about. Something new.

New is delightful. New is different. New is fresh. New is new. Boring.

Yes. New is boring. Our client suddenly [00:01:00] says out of nowhere new is boring. I pause, slightly confused. I slowly push my chair back from the table and stand up. That was unexpected. I walked slowly through the room, the old wooden floor, cracking softly onto my steps. I had to window and gently pulled the curtains open a little more.

To let the shin shine in and the light floods in the room, casting warm golden streaks onto the table. Turning back to the client, I ask, so you find the interior design boring? Yes. Let's just say the words boring is quite difficult to understand coming from this gentleman's mouth. We had already pulled him so far out of his comfort zone.

At least that's what we thought. And then he drops it. I miss the . I immediately look at his wife laughing, [00:02:00] would you like another coffee? She asks, standing up and heading to the kitchen. Yes, please. I reply with a smile. I sit back down at the table, look at the man and ask. Can you explain what you mean by that?

Well, sure. You see that little shelf by the window in that alcove, that shelf with the red wallpaper around it. I love that. I'm crazy about things like that. I still don't fully understand, so I inquire further. Is it about the wallpaper, the alcove itself, perhaps the color? I'm trying to understand you, and then it happens.

There's a realization. You see this? Whole face changed. A sort of relief, a joy, a feeling of freedom. I've no idea what else was going on in his head, but, well, it's definitely a very positive, let's stick with that. I think it's actually the color. [00:03:00] I have a thing for red. Red is sexy. He said his wife joins the conversation two sitting back down with her fresh coffee.

You know, she says, I used to play at a friend's place in the trailer park. They had a red velvet curtains in the trailer. I never forget that. Fantastic. I don't exactly know why, but one thing I'm sure of. It always gave me a sense of freedom. Hey, do you see it too? Does everything suddenly fall into place for you?

Two, the association with Rat is so powerful. It evokes pleasant memories, excitement, and absolute feeling of freedom. Now, we knew exactly what to do. Add rat. Right. Initially it was dominating the entire interior design, but we brought it back to hidden spots where it will suddenly reveal itself to you.

And this way, the interior design doesn't reveal itself [00:04:00] completely right away. You have to make a move. You have to explore it on your own. You have to look carefully to catch a glimpse of it that is sexy. This project taught me something profound. Design is not just about aesthetics, it's about emotions, it's about memories.

It's about creating spaces that evoke feelings. When our client said, I miss the sex, he wasn't talking about romance, he was talking about excitement, about passion, about freedom, and that's what interior design is all about. It's not just about what you make, it's about what you make people feel.

This is beyond the TE design. It's about creating experiences that transform lives. And that's my friend, is what makes design [00:05:00] unforgettable.